Book now or wait for family?

[KatieBug28]

Hey all!

 

I'm booking a Mexican Riviera cruise on the Miracle for October 2015. We're going with extended family and will have at least 3 cabins, possibly as many as 5, depending on who all ends up coming.

 

Here's my question: at least 2 cabins are ready to book now. The third needs to wait until getting a work bonus, which is coming next month. The remaining family members won't know if they want to come or not until about 6 months out. Should those who are ready go ahead and book now?

 

We don't have any crazy cabin requirements, but we would like to be near one another and on the same deck. We are still far out, but I'd like to lock in the lower price if I could. I know for sure we are planning on going, whether the others come or not. Should we go ahead? Or is it better to wait, at least until the other "for sure" cabin is ready?

[Swampbaby]

I would book now and let the others book when they can.

[cruiser_family]

Book now.

 

I am planning a birthday cruise for December 2015. I have no idea how many cabins will get booked. We have the potential for 10. Three were ready now. :D:D:D We booked about a month ago.

 

We used a PVP at Carnival. He set it up so that they can call him and reference my booking number and he knows exactly what to offer them. If they join us, great. If not, I'm still going and celebrating. ;)

[WindsorFred]

I would book now and let the others book when they can.

 

Agree, let them book when they are ready.

[bury me at sea]

I would book now with early saver rate and trip insurance.

 

I am never quite sure what people mean when they say they want their cabins to be near each other. Even on the largest ships it's unlikely that any two cabins would be more than 3 or 4 minutes away from any other cabin. I do understand why people would want connecting cabins or connecting balconies. Otherwise near each other is sort of meaningless.

 

Just my opinion. I hope you enjoy your cruise.

[AdGuyMG]

Agree..You should book now and let them book when they are ready. Plus you never know whether their plans might change.

[cruiser_family]

I am never quite sure what people mean when they say they want their cabins to be near each other. Even on the largest ships it's unlikely that any two cabins would be more than 3 or 4 minutes away from any other cabin. I do understand why people would want connecting cabins or connecting balconies. Otherwise near each other is sort of meaningless.

 

Just my opinion. I hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

I actually understand it. We cruised as an extended family last year for Thanksgiving. We had "senior" members of our family spread out all over the place and it was a hassle to "make sure that they were ok". Had it been a different mix of family (or friends), I wouldn't have cared.

 

It's really just a personal preference.

[bury me at sea]

I guess I see your point, to a limited extent. At home I am about 4 minutes driving distance away from one daughter, 5 from another and 13 from another. I agree we are all different. For me it just doesn't matter where traveling companions are on a ship. All are within walking distance and a phone call away.

[KatieBug28]

I am never quite sure what people mean when they say they want their cabins to be near each other. Even on the largest ships it's unlikely that any two cabins would be more than 3 or 4 minutes away from any other cabin. I do understand why people would want connecting cabins or connecting balconies. Otherwise near each other is sort of meaningless.

 

We want to be right next door to my parents if possible, and close to all of our family. We have a couple of reasons for this:

 

First, we are Americans living in Canada. We're the only ones who live outside of our hometown, and we don't get to see our family very much. So we want to spend every second we can together the couple of times a year that we get to see each other.

 

Second, we have two DDs (6 and 2 on cruise) who will be sailing in our room, and it's great to have help from Grandma and Grandpa with them. My mom is awesome about having my older daughter over to her hotel room to shower and get ready in the morning, or have the girls over for a "sleepover". It's much easier to be next door or right down the hall when DD realizes she forgot her stuffy, or the tearless shampoo, or my dad and husband want to pour over the photos or videos they took that day... the list goes on. Being closer is just a lot easier, and it gives us even more time together!

[horsegal]

We just went through this. I say book now and lock in the lower price, we were going to cruise with both sets of parents. Turns out it was a good thing we booked at the lower price because both sets of parents decided to not go and it would have cost us about $120 extra to have booked it after we found out.

[mzloolue]

We want to be right next door to my parents if possible, and close to all of our family. We have a couple of reasons for this:

 

First, we are Americans living in Canada. We're the only ones who live outside of our hometown, and we don't get to see our family very much. So we want to spend every second we can together the couple of times a year that we get to see each other.

 

Second, we have two DDs (6 and 2 on cruise) who will be sailing in our room, and it's great to have help from Grandma and Grandpa with them. My mom is awesome about having my older daughter over to her hotel room to shower and get ready in the morning, or have the girls over for a "sleepover". It's much easier to be next door or right down the hall when DD realizes she forgot her stuffy, or the tearless shampoo, or my dad and husband want to pour over the photos or videos they took that day... the list goes on. Being closer is just a lot easier, and it gives us even more time together!

 

It sounds like connecting rooms would be good.

[YB Nrml]

If we were ready to book nothing could hold us back! :D How about booking two connecting cabins for you and your parents and let the rest book when they want to.

[MsMot]

I would book now. That is what I did because I wanted to secure an aft wrap on the Breeze since there are only 8 cabins on the ship.

[mississauga]

We want to be right next door to my parents if possible, and close to all of our family. We have a couple of reasons for this:

 

First, we are Americans living in Canada. We're the only ones who live outside of our hometown, and we don't get to see our family very much. So we want to spend every second we can together the couple of times a year that we get to see each other.

 

Second, we have two DDs (6 and 2 on cruise) who will be sailing in our room, and it's great to have help from Grandma and Grandpa with them. My mom is awesome about having my older daughter over to her hotel room to shower and get ready in the morning, or have the girls over for a "sleepover". It's much easier to be next door or right down the hall when DD realizes she forgot her stuffy, or the tearless shampoo, or my dad and husband want to pour over the photos or videos they took that day... the list goes on. Being closer is just a lot easier, and it gives us even more time together!

 

All the more reason to book now. It sounds like you and your parents are the ones who are ready to book. The earlier you book, the more choices of cabins and location are available. Once you book, if a more preferable cabin becomes available, you can always ask to change/move as long as it is not a downgrade. Lateral moves or upgrades are ok.

 

If you want your booking linked for dinner for example, the later ones to book can just give your booking # to be linked or you can do it all in one shot after everyone has booked.

 

If the ones booking later also want to be close to you, at least they'll have a point of reference to where they want to be.

 

As others have said, in the early planning stages, everyone wants to go but plans change so you need to think of only what you want at this point in time.

Edited August 24, 2014 by mississauga

[babyher]

Book now and let the others do what they gotta do. When they are ready to book , they can always link their booking to yours .

 

Like someone else said everyone is Gung Ho in the beginning and then you wait and wait you get "oh we won't have the money by then...."Oh we forgot ...That's the same weekend my husband's niece is baptizing the baby"

 

Make sure you get your booking and let the others worry about theirs